Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-01-09
CHINESE sLAvERs.
How Mong Olans Rvade the Restriction
Acf-TeaehiBg PERJURY.
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sury Department, has been IN the city seye-
raj months, investigating the operations OF
the restriction act, and the varions methods
adopted for its evasion. The information
be has been enabled to lay before the Wash
ington authorities has caused the Secretary
OF the Treasury TO inform the Secretary Of
State that The Treasury Department has been
furnished with information TO the effect
that two Chinese firms at Hong Kong are
regularly engaged IN the business OF selling
certificates 10 Chinese deslrous OF coming
to America, and OF smuggling women
through the ports ior immoral purposes.
lie suggests TO the State Department that
the United States Consul at Hong Kong be
instructed 10 investigate the matter.
just through what channels Mr.. Tingle
obtained his information has not been made
public. as all the Treasury officials are very
reticent, but enough has leaked out to show
that he has been conyersant with the me-
thOds OF the organized syndicate operating
jointly In this city and Hong Kong. 1t has
long been matter Of public notOriety that
the restriction act was being violated by
wholesale through system OF perjury and
false PRESERVATION, but no measures could be
taken by the port authorities here, under
the powers conferred upon them, to ferret
out the ramihcations Of the conspiracy.
From what has been made public it
would appear that Mr.. Tingle has made
substantial Roadway in unearthing the
groundwork OF the business OF unlawfully
importing Chinese into this country. He
appears to have been more successful in
his efforts than those Treasury agents who
preceded him. The trick OF bringing Chi
nese TO Victoria and then running them by
land over the line into Washington Terri.
tory has been in steady operation for years,
but the agents who went to investigate
could never detect anything.
The profitable nature OF the business
may not have had anything to do with this
[ inability to secure eyidence,Ibut it suggests
the necessity OF more thorough system OF
guarding against its continuance. IL is a
fact susceptible OF proof that Chinese who
have arrived here on the China steamers in
transit for Mexican ports have made their
appearance a few weeks later in this city.
or course they are Struggled across the
line. and it Is quite certain that they could
never do il il their movements were not
supervised and directed by somebody on
the ground. Behind this lies the sugges-
ton Of the collision on the part OF some
complainant official somewhere along the
line. OF all the large numbers OF Chinese
who were landed in Mexico during the past
eighteen months Il Is safe to say that - per
cent. OF them are now in the United States.
At this port there are two ways OF getting
around the restriction act. One is on a
certificate bought from the original holder,
and the Other is to have the COOlie swear
that be resided in this country prior 10 the
passage OF the law, which gives him the
right To land.
At FIRST the Chinese wOLld come here
boldly, without certificates, relying upon
being posted after arrival by their friends,
who were usually informed Of their
coming. This was an easy matter under
the old regime at the custom. home, for the
officers, either from negligence or some
other cause, made little or no effort 10 re-
strict intercourse between Chinese on
shipboard and those on shore. As q
result, a Chinaman fresh from the
rce.fields would walk into court and
swear that he used TO live at Red Dog or
mined at You Bet, and there would be no.
BODY to contradict him. He had been told
Just what to say, and 1t was quite likely
that the United States attorney would be as
ignorant OF the place named as the China
man. Several other Chinese would take
the stand and swear that they knew the
MOngol when he ran wash-house or q
rocker, and he would be turned loose on
the community.
Collector Hager and Surveyor Tinnln
threw some heavy obstacles in the way OF
this little game when they came into office.
They absolutely shut off communication
chi ,bns. dof, a tloa
on shore, and compelled every Chinaman
who was all straight with a certificate TO
make a statement before seeing any OF his
countrymen on shore. This rule rigidly
enforced caused the slave importers to
make some other move,
They established a school IN Hong Kong,
where hinese were instructed how TO an.
swer questions relative TO the alleged
former residence that would be picked out
for him. When he has become sufficiently
proficient in his story n letter is sent to the
agent in this city telling them that the next
steamer will bring certain Chinese who
have been instructed in certIin particulars.
When the steamer arrives writs OF ha6eaS
corpus are sworn out and witnesses are on
hand to verify the tale.
great proportion OF those arriving
with certificates are false persOBators. The
certificates have been purchased in Hong
Kong and the holder tutored i'm the school
TO tell a story corresponding with It's en-.
tries. Those Chinese who return to China
with no intention OF coming back TO
America take out certificates to sell. Others
who wish to return sell their certificates
and swear themselves through the courts
as prior residents.
The case OF the Chinese woman who was
kidnapped and brought here on certii.
cate made out for another woman Is IN IL
lustraion OF how deity and boldly the
slaye-dCaers carry on their trade. This
woman was abducted, taken 10 the Hong
Kong school and taught story, which she
was told to repeat on pain OF death, and
given a certificate.
'fhe speculation in return certificates Is
made evident by the practice OF returning
Chinese giving their ages at much less than
they really are.
Not long ago an old, lettering wreck,
who could not have been less than sixty,
gave her age at twenty-five. Women OF
forty and fifty will claim to be only twenty.
This Is 10 arrange for the importation OF
Young girls for the immoral slave trade.
Some time ago certificates readily sold for
$3.50, but they have since fallen to half that
sum. The price charged by the slave
brokers for bringing a Chinaman here aud
landing him Is about 5000, AMI until this is
paid the victims are charged S15 month,
or Of the rate OF per cent. interest. Thus
il will be seen that every CbInaman who
comes here on those terms binds himself to
a long period OF seryltude, and until the
last cent Is paid he is logged with the per.
petual fear OF the avengng highlander.
BY the time some OF the Coolies pay the
p1ee OF their passage they have parted with
d small fortune. Women are worth great
deal more, the price in this market for a
aforementioned female averaging about
1880. For this reason the efforts to get
them landed are much more persistent and
Ingenious.
As the steamship companies will not
bring Chinese here without certificate,
unless guaranteed against loss In case OF re-
turn, the Hong Kong end Of the syndicate
resort 10 the plan OF shipping uneeFtticated
ones on guaranty letters signed by Hong
Kong merchants. on the thirty.one Chi
nese women who arrived on the Beige,
thirteen were without certificates, having
been brought over on guaranty letters.
Eight out OF the eighteen with certificates
did not answer the descriptions given, and
were detained on board, bu. twelve OF the
iwenty-one refused landing were taken OF
yesterday on wrils OF hdbedS corpus. They
viii be released on bail, aud Will be pre-
pared with glib stories and cloud OF cor.
Toboratiye witnesses when the hearing
CONES OF.
Melody I'm a Basfiie.